Lawmaker tells Australian leader that party doesn't back him

A government lawmaker on Thursday called on Australia‘s prime minister to give him a second chance to replace the premier in a leadership vote.

Peter Dutton said he told Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that he no longer had the support of a majority of lawmakers in the ruling conservative Liberal Party.

In a surprise vote of ruling lawmakers Tuesday, Turnbull defeated Dutton by 48 votes to 35. The prime minister initiated the move in the hope of ending speculation that his government had lost faith in him in the face of poor opinion polling ahead of elections due by May.

“Earlier this morning, I called the prime minister to advise him that it was my judgment that the majority of the party room no longer supported his leadership,” Dutton told reporters at Parliament House.

“I asked him to convene a meeting of the Liberal Party at which I would challenge for the leadership,” he added.

Dutton wants the new vote on Thursday before Parliament takes a two-week break. The next scheduled party meeting is Sept. 11.

Turnbull did not immediately make a public response.

Australia has had years of political instability since Prime Minister John Howard lost power in 2007 after more than 11 years in office. No prime minister has lasted a full three-year term since. They have all been thrown out of power by their own parties amid poor opinion polling in a trend that divides parties and angers voters.